The Bognor Makerspace (our base of operations) is excitedly holding a Winter Fair with plenty of craft stalls, gift stalls, raffle, tombola, refreshments, fun stalls and a Santa’s Grotto.
Saturday 25th November | 10am – 3pm
58-60 Longford Road, Bognor Regis
If you’re interested in hosting a stall to sell crafts or gifts, please email info@bognormake.co.uk or call the office on 01243 345239.
Looking to improve your chances of being employed? Adults can apply to join a unique one-week employability course combining technical, craft, marketing and customer service work experience that will extend their skills and boost confidence.
This full-time programme offers participants who are actively seeking employment practical, hands-on experience of a range of transferable skills such as teamwork, problem-solving and communication whilst also providing on-going support in tackling gaps in numeracy skills.
Continue ReadingThis course runs from Monday 16th to Friday 20th October, 10am – 4pm and is free for adults without a level 2 maths qualification.
On Tuesday 7th February from 2:00pm to 4:00pm, we’re hosting an open taster day at the Bognor Makerspace! Come and try taster sessions of all our three practical courses:
No need to book, just turn up and have a go. Free of charge and open to adults of all ages. Full weekly courses start at the end of February.
For more information contact learn@makingtheatre.co.uk
or call 01243 345239 (answerphone)
Our most recent one-week course finished on 22nd March and the eight participants produced an amazing short puppet play called What’s Going on in the Garden?. Aimed at primary age children, the play described some of the wildlife that emerges at the start of spring and the team made ingenious 2D puppets including a hedgehog, owl, frog and even chicks being hatched!
We’re delighted to report that the Bognor Makerspace crowdfunding appeal has reached its target thanks to the many donations from individuals, charity groups and local councils. Work has started today on installing two super accessible toilets and we hope that they will be ready for use by the end of February.
The Makerspace has also been awarded a grant of £8,650 from the National Communities lottery which will enable the installation of a kitchen and cafe area. These important developments mean we can start making the groundfloor space available for other community users as soon as lockdown restrictions are eased.
“My name is Hannah. I worked with Making Theatre Gaining Skills for 2 weeks. This was to put on a Christmas production stage show for children. When I arrived, it was all about trying new things, as we started from bottom up, including assembling the stage.”
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“Before the course, I felt quite nervous about working with new people but after meeting the team I went ahead and joined up. I’m pleased I did because I’m having lots of fun and have met lots of friendly new people!”
Continue ReadingThe team is working hard to get the Makerspace ready for our first course which is due to start on 7th December. Volunteer Tony has more or less heat-proofed the office and IT room so that it’s no longer necessary to wear coats and gloves when using the computers. Another volunteer (John) has wrestled with three donated computers and has got them running so that we should have a network in the office which will certainly improve our efficiency!
Continue ReadingSince Making Theatre Gaining Skills started back in 2011 we have spent many years moving between temporary venues of varying degrees of comfort and always searching for a permanent home. We are delighted to announce that we have found a wonderful building in Bognor Regis and moved in at the beginning of October.
It is a large industrial building very conveniently located just two minutes’ walk from Bognor railway station on Longford Road. Owned by Reynolds Furniture, it was until recently used as a furniture showroom. We have taken a lease on the building in partnership with the Aldingbourne Trust and the building will be named The Bognor Makerspace.
On Monday 5th October things changed dramatically for Making Theatre Gaining Skills as finally we moved into our new, permanent home. For years the company has moved between temporary homes across West Sussex and experienced all the uncertainty that comes with a transient lifestyle. Sharing facilities with brownies, Zumba dancers and even railway workers; having to put everything into storage so that no one can quite remember what happened to the tool kit or the lighting board plus constant anxiety about how long we might get to stay in each place. Some of our temporary homes have been luxurious, or blessed with supportive landlords, but the biggest problem has been maintaining contact with the hundreds of participants that have attended classes. Now at last we have a home which we can welcome them back to.
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